When floodwaters recede, the thousands of people affected in Oklahoma will be left with the task of recovering. The Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 42 national service organizations and federal agencies co-led by FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, would like to provide the following valuable resources.
- Download the FEMA fact sheet After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures, with tips and resources for individuals and institutions, https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1452008937293-2c5cf070cabce562b9ae8727abbdc7e9/Flood_FIMA_Fact_Sheet_2015_508.pdf
- Versions are also available in Spanish and Vietnamese at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/113297
- Download the FEMA fact sheet Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms, with tips and resources on salvaging different types of objects, from photos to fabric to furniture, and more. https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1490121650722-14c891088abe31790eda2e346280eaf2/Salvaging_Family_Valuables_FIMA_Fact_Sheet_2017_508WDU.pdf
- Download the free ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage app, for at-your-fingertips salvage advice, http://www.conservation-us.org/emergencies/ers-app.
- Cultural institutions, keep this 24/7 hotline number handy: 202.661.8068. The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals, are available 24/7 to provide advice to cultural stewards.
- Familiarize yourself with the disaster declaration process in case one is declared for your state, https://www.fema.gov/disaster-declaration-process.
Additional response and recovery resources can be found on the Heritage Emergency National Task Force website, https://culturalrescue.si.edu/resources/response-recovery-resources/. And please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions at lori.foley@fema.dhs.gov or hentf@si.edu.
Lori Foley
Administrator, Heritage Emergency National Task Force
Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
FEMA | DHS
lori.foley@fema.dhs.gov
O: 781.259.8652
M: 202.826.6303
Also of note is that the Oklahoma Museums Association has a Disaster Response Network Committee and can be contacted here.